Cash Award Categories
Best Local Filmmaker
Two Adult Tickets to Disneyland (in Anaheim).
The prize is a pair of adult tickets to Disneyland in Anaheim. To be eligible, a director has to attend the screening of their film at the festival and participate in the Q+A session that follows.
The two Disneyland Park Hopper tickets, donated by Chard Gonzalez, are valid through December 17, 2027.
“HQSFF means so much to me because it creates a space where queer filmmakers can tell our stories in all their complexity, stories that can make us laugh, challenge us, surprise us, and help us see one another a little differently,” Gonzalez said.
“Disneyland has always represented a special kind of magic to me, and I wanted to share a little of that magic with an artist who is contributing their own creativity to our community.”
Most Sex-Positive Film
Community of Men Enjoying Naturism (CMEN) is funding an award for Film that is most Sex-positive. CMEN is the parent sponsor of this festival. CMEN presents local and regional events throughout the year, including four GATHERINGS, one in Southern California, One in Northern California, and two in Tennessee.
Sweetest Themed Film
Longtime Festival Sponsor Cake and Art has underwritten a prize for the “Sweetest Themed Film.” Which is no surprise from this well known and loved source for themed cakes of all kinds, including cakes bearing a picture of someone being honored.
Located on Santa Monica Blvd., Cake and Art has probably done a cake for everyone you can think of in Los Angeles. Or at least the famous ones.
Best Use Of Music
Dr. Edward Salm and John Hagman are sponsoring a cash award for Best Use of Music. Dr. Salm works for the Tom of Finland Foundation, is a local opera singer and church musician, and a long time member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. Mr. Hagman is an avid bridge player and supporter of the Arts. His husband is an accomplished pianist. Together they travel for fun and entertainment and always on the lookout for a little piece of art they didn't know they needed.
Best Film Featuring Older Adults
Steve Green and Roger Edwards have combined to fund an award for a film that features “older adults.”
“Too often,” says Steve Green “older LGBTQ adults are relegated to the shadows and rendered invisible in a broader community that can be ageist. The winning film in this category will bring LGBTQ elders to center stage, giving voice to their authentic stories and honoring their hard earned wisdom.”
Film That Most Embodies The Festival Theme
The prize will go to the film that the Festival Jury deems Most Expressive of the Festival Theme.
The theme this year is “Join the REEL Community. VISIBILITY IS RESISTANCE.” The winning filmmaker will receive a cash award of $250, provided by Festival Marketing Coordinator Darryl Tillman.
As the only boy growing up in a Black family with five sisters, Darryl learned early the importance of being seen and accepted for who you are. That experience shaped his belief that visibility—especially for LGBTQ+ people—is an act of courage and resistance.
“To live openly, love freely, and stand proudly in our truth creates space for others to do the same,” Tillman said. “Join the REEL Community. Be seen. Be heard. Be unapologetically you.”